This invention relates to a paint container and liner system and in particular to disposable liners that are flexible so that the liner can conform to the shape of the standard paint bucket and remain in place during use without being precisely contoured to the inside dimensions of the bucket.
Various improvements in materials and equipment for painting have been developed to facilitate what is unavoidably a messy task. Only a very few of these improvements have related to the environmental consequences such as the reduction in the amount of solvents that escape into the air when paint dries. As more is learned about the toxicity of even modern water-based paints, improvements in disposal of waste water and solvents from clean-up procedures need to be implemented to help meet even stricter environmental regulations. The proposed liner system of this invention would eliminate the use of water or solvents for clean-up of paint buckets. It will also reduce the landfill overuse problem by reducing the number of plastic buckets thrown away because of the difficulty in cleaning them.
The need for an easily used and readily disposable liner is apparent. However, while the need for a liner may be apparent, the use of a simple liner, (one that is economical such as the poly-bags which are produced in bulk and are flat for compact for shipment and storage) poses difficulties because the liner may lose its preferred position in a paint container. A paint brush is not simply dipped into the paint in a container, but is pressed and displaced against the wall of the container to distribute the desired quantity of paint on the brush, potentially displacing a liner. Maintaining a liner in a condition that conforms to the shape of the bucket adds to the ultimate value of a liner because it increases its utility. The combined liner and bucket functions in a manner that is similar to the unlined bucket during use, but has the advantage of facilitating cleanup and disposal of paint residue leaving the bucket immediately ready for reuse.
In one embodiment of the invention a group nested liners are installed in the paint bucket and incrementally used and disposed. These features contribute to a liner system that is both convenient to use and ecologically friendly.